My older brother has a tradition. When I began my first teaching job over six years ago, my brother made sure to call me at around 6:00 a.m. on the first Monday of summer vacation to complain about how unfair it is that I am able to sleep in, while the rest of the world trots off to work. Usually, I grumble back at him, and tell him that he is free to quit his job and become a teacher anytime he wants. Then I hang up on him.
This year, I found myself lying in bed pondering the pros and cons of summer vacation. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to love about a ten-week (or so) break from your job, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized there are also reasons why many teachers think summer break is overrated…
The Weather
It may seem like I’m nit-picking here, but the weather is definitely something that takes away from enjoying your vacation. Prefer ski vacations? Too bad. Would you rather take a long-weekend to check out the fall foliage? Not during the school year!